Albert C. « Ritchie, Governor.                  729*

property and acquire title to and convey the same to pur-
chasers as if they were a natural person; provided, however,,
that in case of such purchase by the said County Commis-
sioners it shall not be lawful for them to pay for such property
a greater amount than the State and county taxes in default,,
and the costs of sale, ratification and conveyance. And pro-
vided further that within three months after the date this Act
goes into effect the said County Commissioners shall hold a
public sale of at least one-fourth of the property heretofore
acquired by said County Commissioners at tax sales, and every
three months thereafter shall hold other sales of the said prop-
erty until all of the same shall have been disposed of, the said
sales to be made to the highest bidder for cash. After all of
the property now so held by the County Commissioners shall
have been disposed of, to the end that the same be placed back
on the assessment books in the name of individual taxpayers,,
the said County Commissioners shall hold at least one public
sale every year for the purpose of disposing entirely of any
property purchased by said County Commissioners at tax sales.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted. That all Acts or parts
of Acts inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, or any of
them, are hereby repealed to the extent of any such inconsist-
ency. And the County Commissioners of said county are'
hereby authorized and empowered to make such changes in
their present office procedure and routine as may be necessary
to facilitate and make effective the beginning of the operations
of this Act and of carrying on the same.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That this Act is hereby
declared to be an emergency law and it is necessary for the
immediate preservation of the public safety, and being passed
on a yea arid nay vote, supported by three-fifths of all the
members elected to each of the two Houses of the General
Assembly of Maryland, the same shall take effect from the date
of its passage.

Approved April 17, 1931.

CHAPTER 281.

AN ACT to repeal Chapter No. 301 of the Acts of the General
Assembly of Maryland, Session of 1924, entitled "An Act
to authorize and direct the County Commissioners of Mont-